DSLR Use In Winter

[DayTrip]

A few months back I bought a DSLR camera (new but an older, bulkier design). As the weather has cooled off I'm a bit hesitant to take it out on hikes. The manual says the low end of the operating range is 14 deg F. I had an old point and click Canon years ago with the same specs that I've used in temps well below zero but given the cost of the new camera and all the moving parts I'm nervous pushing it. It does have a weather sealed design if that means anything with the cold.

For the DSLR users on here do you take your camera out in Winter temps? Any tricks or tips to keep it in proper working order - putting a hand warmer in carry case, etc? It's been a bummer going back to cell phone pics as the weather cooled off. Would love to get great pictures of the Winter landscape but I don't want to break it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Ken MacGray]

For me it depends on how cold it gets. I usually carry a big-ass heavy DSLR all the time, but I've had times where it's frozen up in winter, so for those times I switch to a point and shoot. Also, sometimes the DSLR just gets too bulky to use when combined with winter gear / clothing.

 

[DayTrip]

For me it depends on how cold it gets. I usually carry a big-ass heavy DSLR all the time, but I've had times where it's frozen up in winter, so for those times I switch to a point and shoot. Also, sometimes the DSLR just gets too bulky to use when combined with winter gear / clothing.

Yah the bulk and weight is a draw back as the weight of Winter gear starts to pile up. I currently am hanging my bag across my chest with carabiners to the rings on my backpack straps.

When you say in the past it has frozen it didn't cause any permanent damage? It just gets "stuck" until it thaws?

 

[DayTrip]

Never had a problem with cold temperatures and a DSLR -- including -20 F near Mt. Madison a few years back.

Did you do anything special with it - carry in/under jacket, warmers in carry case, etc? One of my concerns is that I have it under a jacket or in a warm pack and then I expose the camera to a sudden temp change and it cracks the lens or damages motors, etc. Can condensation form inside the camera in these circumstances?

 

[skiguy]

Here’s some info from Adorama. Some of the best folks in the Biz. https://www.adorama.com/alc/0008151/article/Winter-photography-tips

 

[JustJoe]

I started carrying mine in winter after I bought it but gave that up since I carry so much I didn't need that hanging around my neck. I do remember having it on Mt Israel when the windchill was around -20 and had no issues. But that was a relatively short hike so it wasn't exposed too long. 4 hours tops. Probably not a good test.

 

[DayTrip]

Here’s some info from Adorama. Some of the best folks in the Biz. https://www.adorama.com/alc/0008151/article/Winter-photography-tips

Tremendous info! Thanks for the link.

 

[skiguy]

Tremendous info! Thanks for the link.

Glad to help. Just like testing out a new winter sleeping bag. Practice with your Camera in the backyard before hitting the trail.

 

[iAmKrzys]

I'm actually curious as to why you decided to go with with a DSLR? I can think of a few reasons, such as shooting in raw format and post processing the pictures, need for a long range zoom, or desire for changing lenses on the go, but I would love to know if there is something else to it for you.

 

[John in NH]

The biggest thing is to carry a large enough (gallon or maybe bigger) ziploc bag to put the camera body and any lenses that have been out in the cold and put them sealed in that bag before you bring it into any warm area like a car or house. If you don't do this the lens will fog up for a long time. Let the camera be at ambient temp while outside, do not put it in your jacket or breath on the lens because you will get the same fogging issue, but worse, the fog will freeze. You can throw some silicia gel packs in that bag to absorb any extra moisture or fog that forms during transitions.

Your DSLR will work even in extreme cold, I have been down to -20 air plenty. Your body will give out before it does.

A DSLR will work long after a phone or point and shoot will freeze.

 

[Ken MacGray]

When you say in the past it has frozen it didn't cause any permanent damage? It just gets "stuck" until it thaws?

For me it was a matter of the lens motor freezing up. It was fine after thawing with no permanent damage. I'm amazed my camera still works, actually. It's an almost 12 year old Nikon D300 that's been to hell and back, and I've gone WAY past the quoted shutter lifespan.

 

[DougPaul]

I've used a DSLR for astrophotography (AP) where one leaves the camera outside all night, so far down to 4F and have had no problems. By then end of the night all sky-facing surfaces can be covered with dew or frost--the key is to keep the moisture out of the system.

For AP, I use a rain cover and lens heater (to keep the front surface of the lens clear). For hiking, I keep the camera cold and dry (ie away from my warm moist body). The sealed plastic bag trick when moving the camera into a warm, moist place is also helpful.


BTW, Canon rates their non-underwater cameras for use down to 32F (0C), presumably due to the risk of ice forming inside. Their underwater cameras are rated for use down to 14F (-10C), presumably because internal ice is not a risk.

Doug

 

[Billy]

Lots of good advice above about the camera itself. But another thing to keep in mind is manual dexterity. In the warmer months this is usually not an issue. But in the extreme cold, you might have thick gloves on, and you might need to take them off to remove the lens cap, adjust buttons and dials, etc. And what do you do with the untethered lens cap and the big gloves you just took off while the wind is blowing 30+ and your finger tips are quickly getting sluggish. Then the fun really begins when you try to get the lens cap back on if it's the kind where you have to pinch both sides toward the center.
This isn't rocket science. Tons of people do it. But it's likely most people aren't wildly successful on their first trip above treeline in January with a DSLR.
Highly recommend practicing in your backyard on a cold windy day after having let your hands get cold. Like many things related to winter hiking you just have to develop a system and dial it in.

 

[DayTrip]

Lots of good advice above about the camera itself. But another thing to keep in mind is manual dexterity. In the warmer months this is usually not an issue. But in the extreme cold, you might have thick gloves on, and you might need to take them off to remove the lens cap, adjust buttons and dials, etc. And what do you do with the untethered lens cap and the big gloves you just took off while the wind is blowing 30+ and your finger tips are quickly getting sluggish. Then the fun really begins when you try to get the lens cap back on if it's the kind where you have to pinch both sides toward the center.
This isn't rocket science. Tons of people do it. But it's likely most people aren't wildly successful on their first trip above treeline in January with a DSLR.
Highly recommend practicing in your backyard on a cold windy day after having let your hands get cold. Like many things related to winter hiking you just have to develop a system and dial it in.

I did a sunrise hike SAT AM on Jackson. Was -6 deg F with 10-20 mph winds on summit. I left camera in it's case in my backpack until I reached summit. It worked fine. I wear nitrile gloves in convertible mittens with exposed fingers in Winter to extend my gloves off time as much as possible. Was able to hang out and take pictures for about 15 minutes before my fingers got so cold that I had to call it a day. Got several great pictures of the sunrise. I've done many above treeline Winter trips and generally take obscene amounts of photos. The DSLR was the new variable. I carried camera back down in it's case in my pack. When I got to car I bagged it in a Sea To Summit dry bag, squeezed as much air as I could out and secured firmly. When I got home I just left it on my desk for a few hours and then took out of bag. All seems to be well. That is likely about as cold as I'll go out for a hike anyway so it's good to know the camera is fine and I can count on it.

 

[DougPaul]

I use lightweight windblocking fleece gloves (with leather-like gripping surfaces) to handle the camera in the cold. The dexterity is good and my hands stay warm enough.

I just put the lenscap in a pocket.

Be careful not to exhale on the camera. Also just holding it up to your eye can fog the viewfinder and back of the camera so work fast.

Doug

 

[DayTrip]

I use lightweight windblocking fleece gloves (with leather-like gripping surfaces) to handle the camera in the cold. The dexterity is good and my hands stay warm enough.

I just put the lenscap in a pocket.

Be careful not to exhale on the camera. Also just holding it up to your eye can fog the viewfinder and back of the camera so work fast.

Doug

I used the LCD for what I did and it stayed responsive for the time I used it. Helps to keep my breathe well away from camera, which was fortunate because I really hadn't even thought of that. In Night Mode I believe I have to use the viewfinder so that is a good tip. I have a Cold Avenger mask I usually wear when it's that cold/windy but I was having an issue getting it on so I just tossed it back in my pack. I have liner gloves that I generally wear in my convertible mittens as well but I like the greater dexterity the nitrile gloves provide if I know I'll be snapping a lot of pictures or using my GoPro. If it is really cold I wear both but that gets a bit tedious. My hands get cold quite easily.

 

[iAmKrzys]

I've used a DSLR for astrophotography (AP) where one leaves the camera outside all night, so far down to 4F and have had no problems.

I have recently bought a Sony RX100 vii and took it for a multi-day hike in West Canada Lakes Wilderness. One of the things that I tried was taking pictures of night sky. I really love being able to shoot in raw format and then fine-tune the pictures in Adobe Lightroom. Here is one of the pictures I took:

While the camera is lightweight and has a number of features that I was missing while taking pictures with a smartphone, I am not sure if it will work in extremely cold weather - the buttons are too small for operating the camera with gloves on, and Sony rates it down to 32F only.

 

[DayTrip]

I have recently bought a Sony RX100 vii and took it for a multi-day hike in West Canada Lakes Wilderness. One of the things that I tried was taking pictures of night sky. I really love being able to shoot in raw format and then fine-tune the pictures in Adobe Lightroom. Here is one of the pictures I took:
View attachment 6308
While the camera is lightweight and has a number of features that I was missing while taking pictures with a smartphone, I am not sure if it will work in extremely cold weather - the buttons are too small for operating the camera with gloves on, and Sony rates it down to 32F only.

Night photography was a big motivation for a "real camera". Haven't figured it out on mine yet though.

 

[DougPaul]

Night photography was a big motivation for a "real camera". Haven't figured it out on mine yet though.

Use a tripod and manual control for everything (focus, aperture, and exposure time)--the automation will not work in the dark.

For terrestrial night photography, just use the above and:
* shoot a range of exposures
* shoot RAW for the greater dynamic range
* be very careful to minimize vibration (use a remote release, mirror lockup, and a delayed shutter)

For astrophotography:
* Exposure time is limited by the earth's rotation--a rule of thumb is to use a maximum of n/FL seconds where n is between ~150 and ~600 (depends on the camera, the lens and the desired sharpness). You can use longer exposures near the poles. If the exposure is longer, the stars will streak. (Of course, an exposure of hours will result in intentional star streaks.)
* You can use FLs from your widest wide angle to your longest telephotos.
* Use the largest apertures (unless you need to stop down to reduce lens aberrations).*
* Shoot a range of exposures--you cannot tell what you have until you see it on a big screen.
* Shoot RAW for the larger dynamic range.
* be very careful to minimize vibration (use a remote release, mirror lockup, and a delayed shutter)

The above will work for brighter objects--the moon, planets out to Saturn, constellations, and stars (perhaps you can resolve some double stars with a telephoto). You might even have a chance of imaging the M42 nebula (the middle "star" of Orion's sword). (You can see a bit of the nebula with binocs.)

The next step requires a motorized tracking drive to compensate for the earth's rotation. Then you start shooting multiple sub-exposures and combining them on the computer...

There is a nice tutorial on fixed tripod astrophotography at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/astrophotography.html

Two samples shot from my backyard using a DSLR and a 400mm lens on a tracking mount: the M 31 Andromeda Nebula (100 min total exposure) and the M 42 Orion Nebula (26 min total exposure):


Doug

 

[DayTrip]

Use a tripod and manual control for everything (focus, aperture, and exposure time)--the automation will not work in the dark.

For terrestrial night photography, just use the above and:
* shoot a range of exposures
* shoot RAW for the greater dynamic range
* be very careful to minimize vibration (use a remote release, mirror lockup, and a delayed shutter)

For astrophotography:
* Exposure time is limited by the earth's rotation--a rule of thumb is to use a maximum of n/FL seconds where n is between ~150 and ~600 (depends on the camera, the lens and the desired sharpness). You can use longer exposures near the poles. If the exposure is longer, the stars will streak. (Of course, an exposure of hours will result in intentional star streaks.)
* You can use FLs from your widest wide angle to your longest telephotos.
* Use the largest apertures (unless you need to stop down to reduce lens aberrations).*
* Shoot a range of exposures--you cannot tell what you have until you see it on a big screen.
* Shoot RAW for the larger dynamic range.
* be very careful to minimize vibration (use a remote release, mirror lockup, and a delayed shutter)

The above will work for brighter objects--the moon, planets out to Saturn, constellations, and stars (perhaps you can resolve some double stars with a telephoto). You might even have a chance of imaging the M42 nebula (the middle "star" of Orion's sword). (You can see a bit of the nebula with binocs.)

The next step requires a motorized tracking drive to compensate for the earth's rotation. Then you start shooting multiple sub-exposures and combining them on the computer...

There is a nice tutorial on fixed tripod astrophotography at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/astrophotography.html

Two samples shot from my backyard using a DSLR and a 400mm lens on a tracking mount: the M 31 Andromeda Nebula (100 min total exposure) and the M 42 Orion Nebula (26 min total exposure):
View attachment 6310 View attachment 6311

Doug

Thanks for the info and link! I've done some basic reading and goofed around with the "scene" modes on the camera but they didn't really do what I expected. Will be my Winter "project" learning how to use the camera in greater depth. I already have a decent tripod from when I got my GoPro so I have that covered.